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Austin-Travis County EMS and Austin Police officials have reportedly responded to dozens of opioid-related overdose calls, resulting in at least four fatalities.
#BREAKING: Austin officials say multiple people are dead after more than 30 overdoses were reported on Monday https://t.co/Xe7oxwCSmC
— KVUE News (@KVUE) April 30, 2024
FOX 7 Austin reports:
On April 29, around 9 a.m., ATCEMS says it experienced a sudden surge in opioid-related overdose calls concentrated in downtown Austin. As of 8 p.m. Monday, medics had responded to 31 overdose calls. By Tuesday at noon, the number of overdose calls rose to 51.
“We have not experienced overdoses of this volume in several years,” said Dr. Heidi Abraham, deputy medical director on Monday night. “We normally would have about 2 or 3 calls per day. We’re now in the mid to high 30s today. That is about a 1,000% increase.”
As a preventative measure, medics patrolled downtown for at-risk groups and distributed 223 Narcan kits.
“Austin Police says there is a deadly batch of narcotics being distributed in Austin. So far, 4 people have died,” CBS Austin reporter Bettie Cross said.
Austin Drug Overdose Update: Over the last 30 hours EMS says it has responded to 51 drug overdoses in Austin. @Austin_Police says there is a deadly batch of narcotics being distributed in Austin. So far, 4 people have died. pic.twitter.com/7cBKjLugDM
— Bettie Cross (@BettieCrossTV) April 30, 2024
Per CBS Austin:
Officials say the first calls came from downtown Austin but eventually spread to all parts of the city.
“There have been four deaths so far that we suspect are related to these overdoses. We have not experienced overdoses of this volume in several years,” an EMS spokesperson said.
Those who were taken to the hospital reportedly responded well to Narcan.
The City of Austin Homeless Strategy Officer also responded to the scene and collaborated with local shelters, who initiated individual room checks to ensure those in shelters were not affected.
Additional coverage provided by KVUE:
This story is developing.
